Meta recently announced that it’s expanding the adventures available to preteens on their VR platform, Horizon Worlds. Through accounts managed by parents, kids aged 10 to 12 can now delve into specific virtual spaces, but with some boundaries set in place.
The new setup means parents can handpick which worlds their kids can explore. Some options on the list include hanging out in The Space Station, exploring marine life in The Aquarium, or experiencing thrills in the Spy School racing game. Preteens have the choice to ask for access to certain worlds, or parents can proactively go through the selection and grant permissions themselves.
To ensure a safe experience for kids, Meta has rolled out additional safeguards. They’ve introduced a rating system that categorizes worlds as 10+, 13+, or 18+. This helps parents easily approve all worlds suitable for 10+ at once, while hiding any 18+ environments from view. Furthermore, features like follower suggestions are absent, and children appear offline by default, unless parents decide to change this.
Another protective measure includes the always-on “Personal Boundary” setting. This feature gives avatars a two-foot safety bubble, preventing others from getting too close.
This move comes after Meta enabled a feature allowing parents to individually approve who their child can chat with and team up with in VR. Another handy update requires Quest 2 or 3 users to re-enter their birthday, adding a layer of verification.
Since June 2023, preteen accounts with parental oversight have been available. Yet, despite these thoughtful adjustments, skepticism lingers among parents and guardians about Meta’s ability to truly shield their kids, given past criticisms about safety.
Earlier this year, controversies arose around Meta allegedly targeting underage users on their messaging platforms, despite knowledge of inappropriate interactions between adults and minors. Documents from a lawsuit filed by New Mexico’s Department of Justice highlighted these concerns. Additionally, Meta faces allegations from 42 U.S. state attorneys, accusing the company of creating products that lure children, potentially harming their mental health.
